(a) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a structure of a shift lever, and more particularly a structure of a shift lever which can suppress noise while improving operational feel by improving the movement of a G-return from the sliding type of the related art to a rotating type, in a shift lever that is changed to a manual mode allowing a driver to control the gears step by step when it is moved horizontally.
(b) Background Art
The shift lever at a side of the driver seat in a vehicle with an automatic transmission can slide to the positions of P (Park), R (Reverse), N (Neutral), and D (Drive) and can support a manual mode allowing a driver to control the gears, depending on the type of vehicle. The shift levers supporting a manual mode in common vehicles are connected with a transmission by a shift cable to control the operation of the transmission by pulling and releasing the shift cable (vertically, shown in FIG. 1A).
Further, as shown in FIG. 1A, in a manual mode where shifting is manually performed by driver intention, as a protrusion 2 mounted or formed on a shift lever 1 moves down a knob 5 disposed in a base 3, the horizontal movement of the shift lever 1 is transmitted, as an electric signal, to a TCU (Transmission Control Unit). In particular, the knob 6 and a G-return 4 are disposed to face each other in the base 3 horizontally spaced from the shift lever 1, wherein the knob 6 and the G-return 4 are disposed vertically slidable. The G-return is a lever configured to return to an original position after a pivot action, wherein the pivot action shifts the gear.
Further, when the protrusion 2 is moved in between the knob 5 and the G-return 4, the TCU is configured to sense conversion into the manual mode from the descent of the knob 5 and the G-return 4 wherein the end of the protrusion therein slides with the operation of the shift lever 1, as the shift lever 1 moves vertically. The sliding of the G-return 4 is transmitted as an electric signal to the TCU, to allow shifting to be manually performed. In other words, the operation of the shift lever 1 is sensed by electric devices and sensors and sensing signals are transmitted as electric signals to the TCU in the manual mode.